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Press Release

Cedar Grove Man Sentenced To 140 Months In Prison For Being A Felon In Possession Of A Firearm

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee

Jackson, TN – Michael Barrett Roberts, 40, of Cedar Grove, TN, was sentenced today to 140 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Edward L. Stanton III.

As revealed in the indictment and during today’s sentencing hearing, on March 2, 2012 law enforcement officers received information that methamphetamine was being manufactured at Michael Roberts’ home located in Cedar Grove, TN. Roberts’ grandmother was the owner of the house, and she consented to allow law enforcement to search her home.

In the upper part of the house, where Roberts lived, investigators noticed a wall between the bathroom and the bedroom that had loose paneling and missing trim. Hidden inside this wall was a sawed-off Winchester 12 gauge shotgun that had a barrel less than 18 inches long. The overall length of the firearm was less than 26 inches. The serial number on the weapon was obliterated, and the weapon was not registered as required by federal law.

Roberts pleaded guilty on December 6, 2012 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge J. Daniel Breen ordered Roberts to serve two years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department, the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth Hall represented the government.

Updated March 19, 2015